Door-night-latch-bar securing device



July 18, 1950 H. F. WEAVER DOOR-NIGHT-LATCH-BAR SECURING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l jyaz'z yjila rerj Filed March 7, 1947 July 18, 1950 H; F. WEAVER 2,515,364

DOOR-NIGHT-LATCH-BAR SECURING DEVICE Filed March '7; 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ammo v Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR-NIGHT-LATCH-BAR SECURING VICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to attachments.

for night latches of door locks, and more specifie cally to devices, mounted on. the inside of doors, for securing night latch bars positively in locked position, so as to effectively prevent unauthorized attempts being made, from the outside of the doors, to move such night latch bars out of such locked position, in efiorts to improperly gain entrance through such locked doors.

Locks installed on the doors of some houses, apartments, other buildings or rooms, are designed in such a manner that the main locking bar may be moved into and out of the receptacle that is provided in the door. frame by turning the night-latch bar from inside the door or, by turning a key inserted in the lock from outside the door, thus locking or unlocking the door.

The key for such a, lock actuates the mainlocking bar and also turns the night-latch bar. However, the main locking bar cannot be. moved by turning the key in the lock, if the night-latch bar is secured properly, so it cannot move. When the main locking bar is in the locked position, the night-latch bar usually is in a horizontal position. Conversely, when the, main locking bar is in the unlocked position, the night-latch bar is in the vertical position.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to. provide a locking device to, secure the nightlatch bar on a door in the horizontal or locked position and thereby prevent the unlocking of a door by means of a key or other instrument.

A further object of the invention is to prevent unlawful or undesirable entry by way of a door, which may be the only door, or one of two or more doors, to a room, or apartment or house, or other building, each of which doors embodies such a night-latch bar, withv my device placedin position thereon, while a person occupiesv such room, etc.

A still further object is. to preventunauthor-ized attempts to enter a room through any of one or 'more doors provided with my locking device,

placed. in position thereon. by a person, before leaving such room by a stilladditional door, less. accessible to the would-be intruder to such room, while thus left unoccupied.

My invention is simple in construction and. efficient in operation, strong yet light in weight,

relatively cheap to make, and easy and quick to r adjust in position.

Various other objects and advantages of this. invention will be obvious from the. following particular description of embodiments of my invention.

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. The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out, withparr. ticularity inv the claims. annexed to and, forming a part of this specification, but for a better una derstanding of the. invention, however, its advantages and specific objects attained with its,

use, reference should, be hadto the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in, which I have illustrated and described the best, forms of, my invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the preferreoLform of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on, the line. 3-3. of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, is a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with certain parts substituted. therein.

Figs. '7 and 8v are front elevation and side ele;- vation, respectively, of the first modification of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the second modification of my invention.

of the front elevation Fig. 10 is. a detail of the form of invention.

shown in Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 and 12 are front elevation, and side; elevation, respectively, of the. third modification.

of my invention.

Referring to the form. of the invention shown:

in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, my preferred form of invention comprises only three separatev mem-. bers, including a hook-like door-knob-shaft. engaging member A, a bolt-like n-ight-latch-bar engaging member B, and a turnbuckle-like member C swivelly connecting such members A andB.

The member A is formed with a hook I and a.

swivel head 2 and a shank 3 connecting such hook and swivel head. The open space 4 between the, free end 5 and the shank end 6 of the hook ispreferably made sufficient to permit the movement therethrough of a door-knob-shaft l of. standard, or slightly greater or less than stand-' 3 between the night-latch bar II and the doorknob-shaft 1. As indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the head 9 is of the general configuration of an isosceles triangle, near the apex of which is attached the stem 8 and near the base of which extend the posts ID, in the same direction as stem 8. The base of such triangular head is shown as substantially the same length as that of the night-latch bar II, which latter has the shaft I2 supporting the thumb-piece I3 of arcuate shape, so as to form recesses I4 to receive the posts I II. The posts III are thus spaced from each other and from the stem 8,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, when this form of the invention is applied, and thus in operative position, the night-latch bar II lies between the posts I and the stem 8, with the latter extending clear of, but alongside, the convex side of the arcuate bar.

Cooperating with such threaded stem 8 and also with hook A, is the turnbuckle-like member C, which is shown as being of general hollow cylindrical shape, with either plain or rough surface, and having at one end a nut portion I5 and at .the opposite end a swivel portion I6. The nut portion I5 has a threaded central bore therethrough which is of such diameter and pitch of thread as to receive the threaded stem 8. The swivel portion I6 has the wall thereof bent inwardly to form a flange II to lie beneath the swivel head 2 of the hook, and thus prevent separation but permit rotative swivelling movement between such turnbuckle C and hook .A, when the threaded turnbuckle, upon being rotated in one direction, draws the head toward the hook A, to clamp the device in position.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 4 except the swivel head 2 in Fig. 4, is replaced with a threaded stem 8a similar to stem 8 of the opposite end, and the flange I! in Fig. 4 is replaced with a nut I5a.

In the first modification, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the parts 2', 3', I, 8', III, II, I2, I3 and I4 correspond, respectively, to parts 2, 3, 1, 8, 9, III, II, I2, I3 and I4 in the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 to 5. However, in this first modification, the parts 8, 9., IUand I5 differ slightly from the corresponding parts in the preferred form of the invention. Thus, in Figs. 7 and 8, the bolt stem 8 threadedly cooperates with turnbuckle nut I5 of turnbuckle C, similarly as in the corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 5, except that each of such bolt stem 8 and turnbuckle C is less in length than their counterparts in Figs.

1 to 5, for the reason that in this first modification the clamping pressure is exerted against oppositefaces of the bar II' and knob shaft 1', to exert pressure by turning the turnbuckle, whereas in the Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive form, there is a pull exerted and pressure to clamp the device against rotation. In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the swivel head 2 (similar to that in Figs. 1 to 5) is connected to arcuateor semi-circular plate member I8, which is adapted to fit over the door-knob.

shaft. In harmony with such different method of operation, the posts III are mounted in the upper face of the head 9' to be held inserted in recesses. I4 of the latch bar II', when pressure is exerted on semi-circular or arcuate plate I8 so as to hold it against shaft I. Thus in applying this form of the invention, the arcuate member I8 is slipped on the shaft I and then the head 9' is placed under the bar I I, and the posts I0 forced into the recesses I4 by turning the turnbuckle.

In the second modification, shown in Figs. 9

4 and 10, all the parts correspond to parts in Figs. 1 to 5, except the head 9 of Figs. 1 to 5 is replaced by eye or ring I9 of the second modification, which eye fits on one end of the latch bar II'.

In the third modification, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the form of invention comprises three separate members, including a hook-like door-knobshaft engaging member 20, a slidable plate member 2| and an adjusting nut 22. The hook-like member 20 comprises a hook 23 similar to that of Figs. 1 to 5, except that instead of the swivel head of such preferred form, the hook 23 is, in Figs. 11 and 12, securely attached to the bolt 24 which is threaded at the top end thereof, as at 25. The slidable plate member 2! has two posts 26 secured to the underside thereof for insertion in the recesses 21 of the latch bar 28 when the plate members smooth bore 29 loosely fits over the threaded bolt 25. The adjusting nut 22 is threaded on the threaded bolt and is used to force the plate 2| into position on top of the nights latch bar.

To attach the preferred form Figs. 1 to 5, the hook I is placed in position on the door-knobshaft I. rection so the threaded stem 8 is extended far enough to allow posts II] to be inserted in the recesses Id. The turnbuckle is then rotated in the opposite direction until the head 9 is snugly against the top of the night-latch bar I I and the hook I is snugly against the bottom of the doorknob-shaft I. To detach, rotate the turnbuckle until the posts II) can be removed from the redoor-knob.

cesses I4. Remove hook I from shaft 1. I

To attach the first modification of the device Figs. '7 and 8, the turnbuckle C is rotated in one direction until the length of the assembly .has been reduced sufficiently to allow the arcuate member I8 to be placed on the shaft I and posts III in the recesses I4. 'Ihe turnbuckle C is then rotated in the opposite direction to extend the 8 until the top of head 9 fits snugly against the bottom of bar II, and the arcuate member I8 is snugly against the upper part of the doorknob-shaft I. To detach, rotate the turnbuckle C until the posts III can be removed from the recesses I4.

To attach the second modification of thedevice shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the hook I" is fitted over the door-knob-shaft I. The'turnbuckle C' is rotated in one direction until the stem 8 is extended enough to allow the ring I9 to be slipped over that end of the latch bar II" that moves in an upward arc when the latch bar I I is turned from the horizontal to the vertical position. The turnbuckle C" is then rotated in the opposite direction until the assembly is snugly in position.

and the latch bar I I" cannot be turned from the horizontal position. To detach, the turnbuckle C is rotated until the stem 8 is extended enough to allow the ring to be removed from the end ofthe bar II.

To attach the third modification shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the hook 23 is placed on the shaft I. The adjusting nut is rotated until the plate 2I is far enough upon the bolt 24 to allow the posts 26 to be placed in the recesses 2'! of the latch bar 28. The adjusting nut 30 is then rotated in the opposite direction until suflicient pressure is exerted by the plate 2 I on latch bar 28 to prevent movement of the bar 28.

Having thus described the several parts of the invention, it is understood that when the locking device is placed in position and properly adjusted The turnbuckle C is rotated in one di-,

on the night-latch bar and door-knob-shaft of a door, such door cannot be opened from the outside by means of a key or other instrument.

Thus, it is apparent that this locking device will prevent unlawful or undesirable entry by way of any door to a room, apartment, house, or other building, which embodies such a night-latch bar with my device placed in position thereon, while a person occupies such room, etc. It is understood also that entrance cannot be gained to a room, etc., by means of a key or other instrument applied to the lock of any door provided with my locking device placed in position by a person before leaving such room by an additional, lessaccessible door while the room, etc. is left unoccupied.

While in accordance with the statutes I have illustrated and described the best embodiments of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the subject matter and form of the invention disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

I claim:

1. In a securing device for a latch bar provided with spaced apertures including an aperture on either side of a shaft thereof mounted adjacent a door-knob-shaft, the combination of a hooklike door-knob-shaft-engaging member, a plate member and an adjusting nut, said hook-like member comprising a hook and a threaded bolt stem, said plate member being slidable on said stem and being formed with posts for engaging in said apertures in the latch bar, said nut being threaded to receive said threaded stem and thereby permit clamping of the latch bar in horizontal position and prevent turning of said latch bar.

2. In a securing device for a latch bar provided ing member being formed with a threaded stem and with posts for cooperative engagement in said apertures in said latch bar, said turnbucklelike member comprising a nut threaded to receive said threaded stem and also comprising a swivel end to cooperate with said head portion.

3. In a securing device for a latch bar provided with spaced apertures including an aperture on either side of a shaft thereof mounted adjacent a door-knob-shaft, the combination of a hooklike door-knob-shaft engaging member, a boltlike latch bar engaging member, and a turnbuckle-like member swively connecting said members, said hook-like member comprising a hook, a swivel head and a shank connecting said members, said bolt-like member comprising a threaded stem, a head, and posts spaced apart and projecting from said head, so as to extend into spaced apertures of said latch bar, in order to prevent turning of said latch bar, said turnbuckle-like member comprising a hollow cylinder having at one end a nut portion and at the opposite end a swivel portion, said nut portion being threaded to receive the threaded stem of the boltlike member and said swivel portion rotatively supporting the swivel end of said hook-like member.

4. A securing device for a latch bar provided with spaced apertures including an aperture on either side of a shaft thereof mounted adjacent a door-knob-shaft comprising means for engaging a door-knob-shaft, means for engaging the latch bar, said last-named means including a head formed with a pair of spaced projections adapted to enter said apertures in said latch bar, and means for connecting said first-named and second-named means.

HARRY FRYE WEAVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 31,939 Bailey Apr. 9, 1861 1,242,257 Steiner Oct. 9, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,078 Switzerland May 29, 1909 

